The Government has approved an Emergency Ordinance amending and supplementing certain normative acts related to the categories of driving licenses available in Romania for tractors and agricultural vehicles.

This legislative act addresses the following:

1. Equating the B category driving license with the Tr1 license, a newly introduced category that allows the driving of agricultural or forestry tractors with a maximum speed of 40 km/h on public roads.
2. Recording the equivalence of B and Tr categories with the Tr1 category in the driving license for new emissions, but not earlier than 90 days from the entry into force of the ordinance, without examination by the competent authority.

The reasons behind the adoption of this Emergency Ordinance are as follows:

1. The National Strategic Plan for the financial exercise 2023-2027 foresees a significant increase in the agricultural machinery fleet, creating a disproportion between the number of machines and specialized personnel.
2. The absence of legislation allowing the driving of agricultural machinery with B category driving licenses leads to workforce migration to EU countries.
3. The slow adoption of proposed legislative measures would negatively impact the timely execution of agricultural works during optimal periods.

The Emergency Ordinance is crucial to avoid a negative impact on the agricultural sector and ensure that Romania remains prominent in food security.

In this regard, swift action is necessary to address this emergency situation and prevent negative consequences for public interest and the sustainable development of the agricultural sector.